Punjab: A Senior Medical Officer, Surinder Singh Saini in Patiala is embroiled in a controversial matter of his own admission in an MBBS course 35 years ago under the SC quota. He has been booked in an alleged cheating case, after being found guilty for submission of fake reservation certificates for admission.

An initial departmental inquiry into the matter has confirmed this news. It alleged that Saini (the accused) not only got admission into the MBBS course, but also secured a government job. This job was given under the Backward Class (BC) quota in 1990.

The alleged facts on the case came in the limelight after the former principal of the medical college, from where Saini completed his MBBS course lodged an FIR against him. He completed his medical course from a local medical college in Pataila.

A police complaint was filed against him under Section 420 (cheating). He is posted at Bhol Kalota in Hoshiarpur district at present.

The allegation becomes strong against him as a similar complaint was earlier filed against him in 2014. This complaint was made by a medical officer based in Jalandhar. It led to the Association of Dalits for Democratic Rights taking the matter in their own hands.

The inquiry report also gets a backing from the medical education and research department. The department in its statement implied that Saini had taken the extreme step of submitting a fake SC certificate for securing his seat for the MBBS course.

The report in addition implies that, following his admission basis the fake certificate for the MBBS course, Saini also got a government job under the BC quota in 1990. Details shared in the certificate (required for the job), submitted to the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) claim that he is an inhabitant of Bathiyanbat village in Ludhiana.

According to HT, The Department of Health and Family Welfare was requested to issue a show-cause notice to Saini and the principal of Medical College, Patiala, was asked to file an FIR against the accused Senior Medical Officer.

A case was registered against Saini on the basis of a police complaint by the principal of the Medical College, KD Singh.